David + Jesica | Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Wedding | Vienna Wedding Photographer

Friday, September 5 marked a truly special occasion. This was the day Jesica's dream of being wed in Vienna's picturesque Meadowlark Botanical Gardens came true, as she walked into the afternoon light with her mom & dad on each arm & made her way to where David stood waiting for her.

Earlier that afternoon as the bridesmaids had bustled around finishing their makeup & putting on their jewelery, Jesica was the picture of complete peace, calmly sitting, smiling, waiting until it was time to put her dress on. This regal stillness & patient demeanor is exemplified in David & Jesica's relationship together, as they sought to honor God through their time of dating, engagement & now on their wedding day.

The way David so sweetly cares for Jesica is a beautiful thing to witness & spending any time with the lovely couple will leave you with a sense of joy that is so deeply rooted in their faith in the Lord.

Vendors:

Wedding dress: Kitty Chen
Wedding shoes: Mootsies Tootsies
Groom's suit: The Black Tux
Florist: Karin's Florist
Ceremony venue: Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
Reception venue: The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
Hair & Makeup: Red Door Spa by Elizabeth Arden
DJ: Chris Laich Music Services
Cake: Edibles Incredible
Catering: Great Blue Heron
Bridesmaid dresses: Anthropologie
Groomsmen attire: The Black Tux
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Wedding favors: Personalized frosted glass votives
Honeymoon: Kauai

Joel + Yoshiko | Washington Marriott Georgetown Wedding | DC Wedding Photographer

Rich spring bouquets & origami cranes welcomed guests to their beautiful ceremony in the Washington Georgetown Marriott as Joel & Yoshiko shared their vows on Easter Sunday. 

After planning their wedding celebration from a far in Ontario with the help of Joel's sister Denise, the couple joined their family & friends for a sweet DC wedding, with each family welcoming the other into their lives. Congrats, Joel & Yoshiko!

Sabrina + David | Fathom Gallery Wedding | DC Wedding Photographer

From the very moment I met her & her bridesmaids in the gorgeous lobby of the Loews Madison, to the rainy dash inside Fathom Gallery for her first look, she was glowing. And not a wet-with-rain-drops kind of glow, but Sabrina radiated a peaceful, steady glow that remained unruffled throughout the day.

As I've had the privilege to get to know Sabrina through church & David via phone internationally, that same steady calm is seeded deeply in their relationship with other & with the Lord. After a loooong distance relationship & engagement (Virginia -> Ethiopia), our church community, their family & friends jumped for JOY the day we found that David's visa to come to the States had been approved. Onward with finalizing spring wedding plans!!

Their exquisite wedding day celebration began the last Saturday in March with bridesmaids brunch & preparation at Loews Madison followed by a zippy Fiat ride (courtesy of the hotel - major kudos for their handy-dandy rain day provisions!!) over to Fathom Gallery.

Y'all, this venue is incredible - the former-auto- garage-turned-multi-use-event-venue offers stylish white brick walls, chic ghost chairs, expansive windows that flood the upstairs with natural light, a caterer's kitchen with whiteboard cabinet fronts (so neat!) & a beautiful rooftop terrace. And Emily Magee was a joy to work with! If you're looking for a modern/trendy venue in the city for an intimate wedding, check them out!

Sabrina did an AMAZING job of designing & bringing her wedding decor together - from elegant baby's breath, touches of burlap and twinkly lights to gorgeous wall art, mercury votives & beautiful framed quotes, this girl left no details undone. It's only fitting that the actual theme of the wedding matched Sabrina & David's stylish elegance, poise & grace.

Their twinkle-lit ceremony was surrounded by an intimate gathering of closest friends & family members. After a powerful charge about living out the meaning of marriage from our Pastor Nate, David tenderly washed Sabrina's feet as his first act of service to his bride. The night continued on with delicious food & rounds of toasts to the happy couple. Such a wonderful tribute to the love of the Lord shining through them both!

Vendors:

Wedding dress: Muse Clothing
Wedding shoes: Dessy Group
Earrings: Carved ivory roses from great-grandma
Necklace: From mom at college graduation
Florist: Grandma
Ceremony venue: Fathom Gallery
Reception venue: Fathom Gallery
Hair & Makeup: Lindsay Phillips
DJ and/or Band: DIY Spotify playlist
Cake: made by father
Cake pops: Kylie’s Pop Shop
Catering: Indulge Catering
Bridesmaid dresses: Mix & match
Groomsmen attire: Joseph Abboud
David’s ring: The Sly Fox
Invitations: The Poppi Studio (formerly The Grey House)
Honeymoon: Mexico!

Sabrina + David | Fathom Gallery Wedding Sneak Peek

There were huge smiles, excited jitters, a hankie full of tears, laughter for minutes, beautiful stories exchanged and vows made.

3/29/14 marked the beginning of David & Sabrina's journey of a lifetime together. I can't wait to share more of their stunning vintage-inspired wedding soon!

Lara + Dan: Alexandria Seminary Wedding

Right here, on the Virginia Theological Seminary campus, is where Lara & Dan first laid eyes on each other. So it was such a special joy to meet there for their engagement photos & then also come back to VTS for their beautiful fall ceremony. These two are a blast! And their commitment to one another is in-cred-i-ble. After they began dating long distance in 2012, they would take turns flying to visit every month.

Except when they were both serving the Lord on missions trips. That month, the couple filled a journal with their thoughts, memories & love, later exchanging them after they were back together again. And Lara's gorgeous ring (seen in the photos below) is one Dan actually had made from a stone he got in Miramar, Southeast Asia, where they had both served before. SO sweet!

The ring didn't come in the mail until the very DAY that Dan was set to propose to Lara. Lara, sensing his upcoming proposal, made sure to get her nails painted (smart girl!) before she flew to visit. She was actually in the mailroom when the ring package was delivered but the mail woman was sneaky enough to get it to Dan without her noticing. After a wonderful dinner out in Old Town, they headed back to Aspinwall Hall Bell Tower, the tallest overlook on campus. They had always wanted to check out the view from the top but it wasn't until that night that Dan proposed with the beautiful ring that they got to check out the view of DC together :)

Hanging out with Lara & Dan is the best! Every time we met it was as if we'd been friends for years - they are such a friendly, kind & hilariously funny duo! And although the weather was looking to bring a big thunderstorm right before their wedding, tons of friends & family helped to set up the gorgeous traditional liturgy ceremony inside. Enter lots of photographer shimmies right here - the rain held off on us after that we knocked out family portraits, bridal party & couple portraits without getting drenched! Is God good or is He GOOD?!

How gorgeous are those pearls?? They are her something borrowed (from her mother, passed on from her grandmother) & the love note is from her parents many years ago. Love the heirlooms shared through the generations!

Absolutely, hands DOWN one my favorites of these two!!

Lara & Dan,

You both bring so much life into any room. Your devotion to each other & the Lord are a wonderful testimony of what true love looks like. And you throw one killer party! Thank you for letting me capture these special moments of your day!

Vendors:

Ceremony: Virginia Theological Seminary

Reception: Virginia Theological Seminary Refectory and Scott Lounge

Bride's dress: David's Bridal

Groomsmen attire: Henderson's & Jos A. Banks

Catering: Meriwether-Godsey

Wedding cake: The Happy Tart

Invitations: Vistaprint